DEKALB COUNTY —Four people were injured in an accident just after 4:30p.m. Thursday in DeKalb County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1996 Ford F350 driven by Hunter L. Martin, 36, Winston, was eastbound on U.S. 36 at Fairview Road two miles west of Osborn.

The driver fell asleep and the vehicle traveled off the road. It then collided with a 2006 Ford F150 driven by Matthew D. Arnold, 49, Maysville, that was turning north onto Fairview Road.

DeKalb Clinton County EMS transported Arnold and passengers in the F350 Bailey A. Pickering, 34, and a 4-year-old boy both from Winston to Cameron Regional Medical Center. Martin refused treatment of minor injuries at the scene. Arnold was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

DEKALB COUNTY —Four people were injured in an accident just after 4:30p.m. Thursday in DeKalb County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1996 Ford F350 driven by Hunter L. Martin, 36, Winston, was eastbound on U.S. 36 at Fairview Road two miles west of Osborn.The driver fell asleep and the vehicle traveled off the road. It then collided with a 2006 Ford F150 driven by Matthew D. Arnold, 49, Maysville, that was turning north onto Fairview Road.DeKalb Clinton County EMS transported Arnold and passengers in the F350 Bailey A. Pickering, 34, and a 4-year-old boy both from Winston to Cameron Regional Medical Center. Martin refused treatment of minor injuries at the scene. Arnold was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

2 adults, 4-year-old injured after driver falls asleep in DeKalb Co.

St. Joseph School District Superintendent Doug Van Zyl has resigned to accept a similar position in Minnesota.

The St. Joseph School District Board of Education met Thursday evening in a Special Executive Session to accept the resignation of Van Zyl.

The resignation comes as Van Zyl&nbsp; was chosen as the Superintendent in the Lakeville Area School District in Minnesota

The Board will meet in another Special Executive Session on Monday, April 4th, at 4 p.m. to discuss the superintendent vacancy.

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph School District Superintendent Doug Van Zyl has resigned to accept a similar position in Minnesota.The St. Joseph School District Board of Education met Thursday evening in a Special Executive Session to accept the resignation of Van Zyl.The resignation comes as Van Zyl&nbsp; was chosen as the Superintendent in the Lakeville Area School District in MinnesotaThe Board will meet in another Special Executive Session on Monday, April 4th, at 4 p.m. to discuss the superintendent vacancy.

St. Joseph School District Superintendent announces resignation

As positive COVID-19 case numbers continue to drop St. Joseph health officials released their last daily report on the number of positive cases.

The St. Joseph Health Department reports 11 new positive COVID cases since its last report with three on Monday, four on Wednesday and four on Thursday. 

Two new deaths have been reported due to coronavirus complications, a male in his 70's and a woman in her 80's, the health department reports these deaths occurred last month but were just now reported.

The positivity rate in Buchanan County remains the same.

Mosaic Life Care reports on its website hospitalizations remain minimal. Mosaic does not report numbers when they drop below ten.

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostAs positive COVID-19 case numbers continue to drop St. Joseph health officials released their last daily report on the number of positive cases.The St. Joseph Health Department reports 11 new positive COVID cases since its last report with three on Monday, four on Wednesday and four on Thursday. Two new deaths have been reported due to coronavirus complications, a male in his 70's and a woman in her 80's, the health department reports these deaths occurred last month but were just now reported.The positivity rate in Buchanan County remains the same.Mosaic Life Care reports on its website hospitalizations remain minimal. Mosaic does not report numbers when they drop below ten.

Number of positive cases of COVID-19 remains low in Buchanan County

BUCHNAN COUNTY—A woman from Agency died in an accident just after 4:30a.m. Thursday in Buchanan County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2004 GMC Envoy driven by Tawny L. Moran, 56, Agency, was eastbound on Route H two miles east of Faucett.&nbsp;

The driver failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection with Route A.&nbsp; The SUV continued through the intersection, traveled off the right side of the road, became airborne, struck the ground, continued through a bean field, struck a field terrace, became airborne again and landed on its wheels before coming to a stop.

Buchanan County EMS transported Moran to Mosaic Life Care where she was pronounce dead. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

BUCHNAN COUNTY—A woman from Agency died in an accident just after 4:30a.m. Thursday in Buchanan County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2004 GMC Envoy driven by Tawny L. Moran, 56, Agency, was eastbound on Route H two miles east of Faucett.&nbsp;The driver failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection with Route A.&nbsp; The SUV continued through the intersection, traveled off the right side of the road, became airborne, struck the ground, continued through a bean field, struck a field terrace, became airborne again and landed on its wheels before coming to a stop.Buchanan County EMS transported Moran to Mosaic Life Care where she was pronounce dead. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Buchanan Co. woman dies after violent SUV crash into bean field

A severe storm that hit St. Joseph on Tuesday is a reminder to stay aware as storm season is upon us. &nbsp;

A confirmed tornado in St. Joseph hit one home and the American Red Cross is helping aid the family. &nbsp;

Red Cross spokeswoman Angie Springs says the American Red Cross is there to be a safety net, helping with those immediate emergency needs. &nbsp;

"So, we're there to ensure that they have a safe place to go, that they have clothes on their back, food to eat, we will assist with essential items such as maybe medication that they need, or eyewear," Springs tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "We want to make sure that we're working with them to get them taken care of for the next 24 to 48 hours initially."&nbsp;

Springs says as time goes on the Red Cross will work with families to get them back into housing, whether that is a new home or the home they had to vacate.&nbsp;

Springs says this tornado, which came seemingly out of nowhere, is a reminder to stay prepared for anything. &nbsp;

"Sometimes we have warning when a disaster is going to strike, and sometimes we don't, and so it's just an important reminder that we always need to be vigilant," Springs explains. "So, you know if severe weather is going to happen in our communities, we usually know about that with radar indication, or our weatherman are talking about that, and so you want to be vigilant for that."&nbsp;

Springs says you should make sure you are aware of the what the signs are, that you plan accordingly, and that you have a plan in place well ahead of time. &nbsp;

Springs says donations to the Red Cross are always a big help in the Red Cross providing aid. &nbsp;

"When the Red Cross responds, we do it immediately, we don't wait until we raise the funds to help that particular family or that particular instance, we're there to respond today because someone gave yesterday," Springs proudly says. &nbsp;

Springs says in big instances, such as hurricanes, you can specify what area your donation goes towards.&nbsp;

"In smaller scale ones we ask that you give a donation to the American Red Cross to help with any sort of disaster we may be responding too," Springs says.&nbsp;

You can find more information on how to help the Red Cross HERE.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648752395998.jpeg" alt="The American Red Cross is aiding the family whose home was hit by Tuesday's tornado in St. Joseph/Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>The American Red Cross is aiding the family whose home was hit by Tuesday's tornado in St. Joseph/Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE&nbsp;St. Joseph Post&nbsp;A severe storm that hit St. Joseph on Tuesday is a reminder to stay aware as storm season is upon us. &nbsp;A confirmed tornado in St. Joseph hit one home and the American Red Cross is helping aid the family. &nbsp;Red Cross spokeswoman Angie Springs says the American Red Cross is there to be a safety net, helping with those immediate emergency needs. &nbsp;"So, we're there to ensure that they have a safe place to go, that they have clothes on their back, food to eat, we will assist with essential items such as maybe medication that they need, or eyewear," Springs tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "We want to make sure that we're working with them to get them taken care of for the next 24 to 48 hours initially."&nbsp;Springs says as time goes on the Red Cross will work with families to get them back into housing, whether that is a new home or the home they had to vacate.&nbsp;Springs says this tornado, which came seemingly out of nowhere, is a reminder to stay prepared for anything. &nbsp;"Sometimes we have warning when a disaster is going to strike, and sometimes we don't, and so it's just an important reminder that we always need to be vigilant," Springs explains. "So, you know if severe weather is going to happen in our communities, we usually know about that with radar indication, or our weatherman are talking about that, and so you want to be vigilant for that."&nbsp;Springs says you should make sure you are aware of the what the signs are, that you plan accordingly, and that you have a plan in place well ahead of time. &nbsp;Springs says donations to the Red Cross are always a big help in the Red Cross providing aid. &nbsp;"When the Red Cross responds, we do it immediately, we don't wait until we raise the funds to help that particular family or that particular instance, we're there to respond today because someone gave yesterday," Springs proudly says. &nbsp;Springs says in big instances, such as hurricanes, you can specify what area your donation goes towards.&nbsp;"In smaller scale ones we ask that you give a donation to the American Red Cross to help with any sort of disaster we may be responding too," Springs says.&nbsp;You can find more information on how to help the Red Cross HERE.&nbsp;

Storm season is here, so you should stay weather aware

The NCAA women's basketball Division II Elite Eight tournament is set to be held at St. Joseph's Civic Arena in both 2023 and 2024, and city officials are making sure the facility will be ready in time.

Built in 1980, Civic Arena is getting some long-awaited renovations. A half-cent sales tax increase approved by St. Joseph voters last August is expected to raise $50-$60 million for the city's parks and recreation facilities before it sunsets in 10 years. About $2.1 million of that will go toward the arena.

Brett Esely, Elite Eight tournament director for 2023-24, and director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission, says the goal over the last year-and-a-half has been to get Civic Arena ready to host the NCAA event, which in turn, will make the arena better equipped to host other things, too.

"When you think about the process over the last 18 months," Esely said, "the goal was to get the facility NCAA basketball ready first, knowing that there's many more events that take place in Civic Arena that are above and beyond basketball. Above and beyond sports."

The major renovations inside Civic include a newly refurbished and repainted floor, which was done locally by Hillyard, Inc. Esely says the next big project on the inside will be replacing the original scoreboard, which does not have video capabilities.

"I think the next major 'wow' for the inside will be the scoreboard," Esely stated. "The current scoreboard is original to the building. It does essentially what you need it do right now - keep time and score. But, think about what you expect to see when you go in a major entertainment or athletic venue."

Esely also said scorers' tables will be added, and those, too will have LED lights so they'll be able to display different advertisements and messages - just like you'd see at any modern arena.

Another big renovation will be new basketball hoops. The current ones are 43 years old, and are also original to the building.

"Think about how many shots and dunks and just general wear and tear those hoops have seen over the course of 43 years," Esely noted. "Knowing that's obviously a vital piece of a basketball game."

Esely says all 3,800 seats will be replaced as well. Three sides of the arena still have their original seating. The west side is the only one that's been renovated in the last 10 years - only because those seats were condemned.

Next year will mark the fifth time that St. Joseph has hosted the NCAA DII women's basketball Elite Eight. The last time was in 2011. While the thought of building a new arena in downtown appeals to some, Esely says taking care of what's already here is the most viable option for now.

"I don't know if a new arena in St. Joe is going to be a reality any time soon," Esely said. "Knowing this is a community that likes to take care of what they have, and knowing the marketability that arena has especially when it comes to small college athletics, these upgrades are vital."

With the Missouri Western women's basketball team fresh off of an Elite Eight appearance in Birmingham this past month, excitement for this event coming back to St. Joseph is palpable.

Whether the Griffons make the Elite Eight at Civic or not, Esely is confident that St. Joseph will treat the event with the right amount of excitement and respect.

"St. Joseph does these events well," Esely said. "They embrace the event, they understand the magnitude and I think the visitors who come to town, they really appreciate the red carpet St. Joseph rolls out, because it's a big deal. The city lets these visitors know that the event's here. That's a big deal for events like this."

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647621168431.jpeg" alt="Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe NCAA women's basketball Division II Elite Eight tournament is set to be held at St. Joseph's Civic Arena in both 2023 and 2024, and city officials are making sure the facility will be ready in time.Built in 1980, Civic Arena is getting some long-awaited renovations. A half-cent sales tax increase approved by St. Joseph voters last August is expected to raise $50-$60 million for the city's parks and recreation facilities before it sunsets in 10 years. About $2.1 million of that will go toward the arena.Brett Esely, Elite Eight tournament director for 2023-24, and director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission, says the goal over the last year-and-a-half has been to get Civic Arena ready to host the NCAA event, which in turn, will make the arena better equipped to host other things, too."When you think about the process over the last 18 months," Esely said, "the goal was to get the facility NCAA basketball ready first, knowing that there's many more events that take place in Civic Arena that are above and beyond basketball. Above and beyond sports."The major renovations inside Civic include a newly refurbished and repainted floor, which was done locally by Hillyard, Inc. Esely says the next big project on the inside will be replacing the original scoreboard, which does not have video capabilities."I think the next major 'wow' for the inside will be the scoreboard," Esely stated. "The current scoreboard is original to the building. It does essentially what you need it do right now - keep time and score. But, think about what you expect to see when you go in a major entertainment or athletic venue."Esely also said scorers' tables will be added, and those, too will have LED lights so they'll be able to display different advertisements and messages - just like you'd see at any modern arena.Another big renovation will be new basketball hoops. The current ones are 43 years old, and are also original to the building. "Think about how many shots and dunks and just general wear and tear those hoops have seen over the course of 43 years," Esely noted. "Knowing that's obviously a vital piece of a basketball game."Esely says all 3,800 seats will be replaced as well. Three sides of the arena still have their original seating. The west side is the only one that's been renovated in the last 10 years - only because those seats were condemned.Next year will mark the fifth time that St. Joseph has hosted the NCAA DII women's basketball Elite Eight. The last time was in 2011. While the thought of building a new arena in downtown appeals to some, Esely says taking care of what's already here is the most viable option for now."I don't know if a new arena in St. Joe is going to be a reality any time soon," Esely said. "Knowing this is a community that likes to take care of what they have, and knowing the marketability that arena has especially when it comes to small college athletics, these upgrades are vital."With the Missouri Western women's basketball team fresh off of an Elite Eight appearance in Birmingham this past month, excitement for this event coming back to St. Joseph is palpable.Whether the Griffons make the Elite Eight at Civic or not, Esely is confident that St. Joseph will treat the event with the right amount of excitement and respect."St. Joseph does these events well," Esely said. "They embrace the event, they understand the magnitude and I think the visitors who come to town, they really appreciate the red carpet St. Joseph rolls out, because it's a big deal. The city lets these visitors know that the event's here. That's a big deal for events like this."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648754371395.jpeg" alt="Mound City and Stanberry played a Class 1 state sectional game at Civic Arena in St. Joseph on March 1." />
 <figcaption>Mound City and Stanberry played a Class 1 state sectional game at Civic Arena in St. Joseph on March 1.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Civic Arena will be Elite Eight ready in 2023, city officials say

Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves wants the Biden
Administration to end the transportation mask mandate.

Graves, the ranking Republican on the House Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee, leads 129 House Republicans in asking the
administration to rescind its extension of the mask mandate on airplanes and
public transportation.

“The rules simply don’t make sense anymore,” Graves tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “Why should folks have to wear a mask on public
transportation or in an airport or on an airplane when they are not required to
wear one at say, a concert, or even President Biden’s own State of the Union
address?”

Graves charges the mandate has nothing to do with public
health.

“This isn’t about controlling the COVID virus,” Graves says. “It’s
about controlling people and it needs to stop.”

And Graves charges the administration is engaging in a double
standard.

“It’s a double standard and people are sick of the double
standard where they follow the rules and politicians and celebrities seem to
get a free pass,” according to Graves. “This has simply gotten out of hand and
we need to end these ridiculous mandates.”

Graves, who is a pilot, says masks should never have been
require during flights.

“Aircraft is also one of the safest in terms of air filtration
places that you can be,” Graves says, “because the air is turned over so
quickly, so much, while you are in the air and filtered, it’s just not a
problem.”

In addition, 21 Republican-led states have filed suit against
the administration in an effort to end the mandate.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostNorthern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves wants the Biden
Administration to end the transportation mask mandate.Graves, the ranking Republican on the House Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee, leads 129 House Republicans in asking the
administration to rescind its extension of the mask mandate on airplanes and
public transportation.“The rules simply don’t make sense anymore,” Graves tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “Why should folks have to wear a mask on public
transportation or in an airport or on an airplane when they are not required to
wear one at say, a concert, or even President Biden’s own State of the Union
address?”Graves charges the mandate has nothing to do with public
health.“This isn’t about controlling the COVID virus,” Graves says. “It’s
about controlling people and it needs to stop.”And Graves charges the administration is engaging in a double
standard.“It’s a double standard and people are sick of the double
standard where they follow the rules and politicians and celebrities seem to
get a free pass,” according to Graves. “This has simply gotten out of hand and
we need to end these ridiculous mandates.”Graves, who is a pilot, says masks should never have been
require during flights.“Aircraft is also one of the safest in terms of air filtration
places that you can be,” Graves says, “because the air is turned over so
quickly, so much, while you are in the air and filtered, it’s just not a
problem.”In addition, 21 Republican-led states have filed suit against
the administration in an effort to end the mandate.

Graves wants Biden Administration to end travel mask mandate

ATCHISON COUNTY, Kan. —A Kansas man was injured in an accident just after 2a.m. Thursday in Atchison County.

According to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, a Ford pickup truck driven by Scott Keller, 44, Atchison, was northbound at 2nd and Unity Street.&nbsp;

The pickup left the roadway just north of Unity Street and struck a tree. EMS transported Keller to Mosaic Hospital in St. Joseph Missouri for treatment. He faces possible charges in connection with the crash, according to Wilson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648739241860.png" alt="Photo Atchison Police&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo Atchison Police&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY, Kan. —A Kansas man was injured in an accident just after 2a.m. Thursday in Atchison County.According to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, a Ford pickup truck driven by Scott Keller, 44, Atchison, was northbound at 2nd and Unity Street.&nbsp;The pickup left the roadway just north of Unity Street and struck a tree. EMS transported Keller to Mosaic Hospital in St. Joseph Missouri for treatment. He faces possible charges in connection with the crash, according to Wilson.

Kan. man hospitalized in St. Joe after pickup strikes a tree

The Savannah School District is hopeful that an updated 15-cent tax increase levy will pass in the upcoming election, after failing three previous times.&nbsp;

Savannah voters flatly rejected a 69-cent levy increase in April of 2020. The district tried two other times with a much lower 15-cent increase that voters narrowly defeated.&nbsp;

District spokesperson Jess Gillett says with the recent mascot change some voters might think this tax increase will go towards that. &nbsp;

"You know every chance we get we really want to reassure people that this maintenance levy is truly for maintenance only, it doesn't have anything to do with our mascot, we promise that's not an ulterior motive," Gillett tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "But there's some community members feeling hurt by that, so you know that's kind of where we are, I think we're working against that a little bit." &nbsp;

Gillett says the increase won't cover everything the district believes it needs to get done, but it will help with necessary maintenance improvements over time. &nbsp;

Gillett says the job of the district is to educate Andrew County residents and that’s what the tax increase will be used for. &nbsp;

"If it doesn't pass in April, then I think that really the burden is on the school district to reach out to our community and really feel like, you know we want everyone to know we are listening, we do see the needs," Gillett says. "And maybe they're voting no because they see other needs and there are other things."&nbsp;

The district recently held a community forum aimed at educating the community on what the levy will be. &nbsp;

Gillett says the district has tried to inform the public about the levy and how the money will be spent through open forums, board meetings, and work sessions.&nbsp;

"Turnout for those things is low, which is a little disappointing," Gillett explains. "We want to communicate with people, we want to have a two-way conversation with them, but it takes two, right?"&nbsp;

Gillett says the school district is always available to answer any questions, and it even has information up on its website. &nbsp;

You can view that information about the tax levy <a href="https://www.savannahr3.com/page/maintenancetax">HERE</a>.&nbsp;

By MATT PIKE&nbsp;St. Joseph Post&nbsp;The Savannah School District is hopeful that an updated 15-cent tax increase levy will pass in the upcoming election, after failing three previous times.&nbsp;Savannah voters flatly rejected a 69-cent levy increase in April of 2020. The district tried two other times with a much lower 15-cent increase that voters narrowly defeated.&nbsp;District spokesperson Jess Gillett says with the recent mascot change some voters might think this tax increase will go towards that. &nbsp;"You know every chance we get we really want to reassure people that this maintenance levy is truly for maintenance only, it doesn't have anything to do with our mascot, we promise that's not an ulterior motive," Gillett tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "But there's some community members feeling hurt by that, so you know that's kind of where we are, I think we're working against that a little bit." &nbsp;Gillett says the increase won't cover everything the district believes it needs to get done, but it will help with necessary maintenance improvements over time. &nbsp;Gillett says the job of the district is to educate Andrew County residents and that’s what the tax increase will be used for. &nbsp;"If it doesn't pass in April, then I think that really the burden is on the school district to reach out to our community and really feel like, you know we want everyone to know we are listening, we do see the needs," Gillett says. "And maybe they're voting no because they see other needs and there are other things."&nbsp;The district recently held a community forum aimed at educating the community on what the levy will be. &nbsp;Gillett says the district has tried to inform the public about the levy and how the money will be spent through open forums, board meetings, and work sessions.&nbsp;"Turnout for those things is low, which is a little disappointing," Gillett explains. "We want to communicate with people, we want to have a two-way conversation with them, but it takes two, right?"&nbsp;Gillett says the school district is always available to answer any questions, and it even has information up on its website. &nbsp;You can view that information about the tax levy <a href="https://www.savannahr3.com/page/maintenancetax">HERE</a>.&nbsp;

Savannah School District takes another shot at new tax levy in April election

HARRISON COUNTY —A Missouri man died in an accident just before 12:30a.m. Wednesday in Harrison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Chevy Malibu driven by Jason A. Crawford, 39, Bethany, was northbound on U.S. 69 just north of Bethany.

The driver failed to negotiate a curve. The car traveled off the west side of the road and struck a tree. Crawford was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Roertson Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

HARRISON COUNTY —A Missouri man died in an accident just before 12:30a.m. Wednesday in Harrison County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Chevy Malibu driven by Jason A. Crawford, 39, Bethany, was northbound on U.S. 69 just north of Bethany.The driver failed to negotiate a curve. The car traveled off the west side of the road and struck a tree. Crawford was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Roertson Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Man from Bethany dies after car strikes a tree

The St. Joseph School District's Vision Forward Committee has held three community meetings this year that are open to the public. The intent of these meetings - to share data and information while also gathering input from the public.

Bob Miller, one of the co-chairs on the Vision Forward Committee, says the amount of community engagement and interest these meetings have gotten has been encouraging.

"This is probably the best attended community involvement experience that they've had," Miller told St. Joseph Post. "I think that's super positive, especially when you look at, just strictly kind of comparison to where things have been in the past."

The first Vision Forward meeting took place in January, with another happening in February and the most recent one being this past Tuesday - all at the Word of Life Church in the northeast part of town.

The first two meetings averaged between 150-160 attendees, with Tuesday's having about 100 or so.

While the hope is to increase attendance, Miller says Vision Forward has gotten input from a wide variety of people already.

"I think we've gotten a really good turnout of a lot of voices," Miller said. "Even just (Tuesday) night, we had between in-person and virtual about 15-17 different groups of people. You know, groups of 5-7 folks who were kind of reporting out from the work activity."

Two more Vision Forward community meetings are planned - one in April and another in May before the school year is over. The first meeting was more or less a 'state of the district' address by superintendent Doug Van Zyl.

The second meeting dealt with how to recruit and retain quality staff, and the third talked about academic achievement with pre-K and elementary students.

The April 26 meeting, set to take place at Lafayette High School, will talk about academic achievement for middle and high school students and the May 17 meeting, set to be at Benton, will talk about buildings.

Voters soundly rejected a $107 million bond issue last April, dashing hopes to convert the American Family Insurance regional headquarters
into a second high school to go along with a refurbished Central High School.

Under that proposal, Benton and Lafayette High School
would have been turned into middle schools.

Miller says middle school enrollment is still a big issue facing the district. Two middle schools educate sixth-eighth graders, while two others educate just seventh and eighth.

Humboldt and Lake Contrary Elementary both closed at the end of the 2018-19 school year, creating some difficulty for middle school enrollment.

"It's just not a very equitable system across&nbsp; the district," he said. "A lot of that is kind of shaped around facilities as we closed some elementary schools in certain parts of town. We've had to shift sixth graders to middle school buildings for space purposes."

After Vision Forward meets in May, the committee will then meet with consulting firm Community Entourage over the summer and present their data and input gathered.

Afterward, Vision Forward will have one more meeting this coming fall to present their findings to the public one more time before any action items are put before the school board.

"Before it gets handed off to the board, we want to bring it back to the community one more time and say, 'Hey, did we get this right?' Miller said. "We want to make sure it's your voice and not just ours."

While there's work to be done and issues still to be resolved, Miller says there's a fair amount of excitement surrounding Vision Forward, with change and thoughts on the future already abound.

Three new school board members were elected last April, and two more will be elected this April. Plus, there's likely going to be a change in superintendent <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/21c010f7-e978-4209-aaf6-1e8dbb9c3f7e">with reports of Van Zyl being chosen</a> as the new superintendent for the Lakeville Area School District in Minnesota.

"We're kind of at this crossroads, too where we're going to have a new superintendent," Miller pointed out. "We've got some new people coming onto the school board. So, there's a lot of new energy kind of coalescing with this process that kind of has everybody looking forward already any way, because there is change on the horizon."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648672625699.png" alt="Courtesy of the St. Joseph School District website." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of the St. Joseph School District website.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe St. Joseph School District's Vision Forward Committee has held three community meetings this year that are open to the public. The intent of these meetings - to share data and information while also gathering input from the public.Bob Miller, one of the co-chairs on the Vision Forward Committee, says the amount of community engagement and interest these meetings have gotten has been encouraging."This is probably the best attended community involvement experience that they've had," Miller told St. Joseph Post. "I think that's super positive, especially when you look at, just strictly kind of comparison to where things have been in the past."The first Vision Forward meeting took place in January, with another happening in February and the most recent one being this past Tuesday - all at the Word of Life Church in the northeast part of town.The first two meetings averaged between 150-160 attendees, with Tuesday's having about 100 or so.While the hope is to increase attendance, Miller says Vision Forward has gotten input from a wide variety of people already."I think we've gotten a really good turnout of a lot of voices," Miller said. "Even just (Tuesday) night, we had between in-person and virtual about 15-17 different groups of people. You know, groups of 5-7 folks who were kind of reporting out from the work activity."Two more Vision Forward community meetings are planned - one in April and another in May before the school year is over. The first meeting was more or less a 'state of the district' address by superintendent Doug Van Zyl.The second meeting dealt with how to recruit and retain quality staff, and the third talked about academic achievement with pre-K and elementary students.The April 26 meeting, set to take place at Lafayette High School, will talk about academic achievement for middle and high school students and the May 17 meeting, set to be at Benton, will talk about buildings.Voters soundly rejected a $107 million bond issue last April, dashing hopes to convert the American Family Insurance regional headquarters
into a second high school to go along with a refurbished Central High School.Under that proposal, Benton and Lafayette High School
would have been turned into middle schools.Miller says middle school enrollment is still a big issue facing the district. Two middle schools educate sixth-eighth graders, while two others educate just seventh and eighth.Humboldt and Lake Contrary Elementary both closed at the end of the 2018-19 school year, creating some difficulty for middle school enrollment."It's just not a very equitable system across&nbsp; the district," he said. "A lot of that is kind of shaped around facilities as we closed some elementary schools in certain parts of town. We've had to shift sixth graders to middle school buildings for space purposes."After Vision Forward meets in May, the committee will then meet with consulting firm Community Entourage over the summer and present their data and input gathered.Afterward, Vision Forward will have one more meeting this coming fall to present their findings to the public one more time before any action items are put before the school board."Before it gets handed off to the board, we want to bring it back to the community one more time and say, 'Hey, did we get this right?' Miller said. "We want to make sure it's your voice and not just ours."While there's work to be done and issues still to be resolved, Miller says there's a fair amount of excitement surrounding Vision Forward, with change and thoughts on the future already abound.Three new school board members were elected last April, and two more will be elected this April. Plus, there's likely going to be a change in superintendent <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/21c010f7-e978-4209-aaf6-1e8dbb9c3f7e">with reports of Van Zyl being chosen</a> as the new superintendent for the Lakeville Area School District in Minnesota."We're kind of at this crossroads, too where we're going to have a new superintendent," Miller pointed out. "We've got some new people coming onto the school board. So, there's a lot of new energy kind of coalescing with this process that kind of has everybody looking forward already any way, because there is change on the horizon."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

SJSD's Vision Forward Committee pleased with community involvement so far

A confirmed tornado in St. Joseph caused major damage to one home; minor damage around Fredrick Avenue. &nbsp;

A tornado warning was in effect around 8:30 last night for St. Joseph, lasting for about half an hour.&nbsp;

City Emergency Manager Bill Lamar says the area most impacted by the storm was around the East Hills Mall, and going in a line toward Frederick and Leonard.&nbsp;

"There was some damage at a couple of the churches and then on Antelope Circle, which is right off of Frederick Avenue to the north, there was a home that was heavily damaged," Lamar tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "And that's where the National Weather Service said lower F1 tornado damage occurred."&nbsp;

The American Red Cross has reached out to the owners of the home and is responding to help.

Lamar says though the storms appeared to stay contained to the area between Frederick and Leonard.&nbsp;

"In surveying some other parts in town, we had some heavy rains, some leaves, and a few limbs down," Lamar says. "But I don't think we had any structural damage in the other parts of the city."&nbsp;

Light damage occurred at Dillards at the East Hills Shopping Center as well as to some churches in the area of the storm.&nbsp;

Heavy debris filled Memorial Park Cemetery.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648658149220.jpeg" alt="The home located on Antelope Circle in St. Joseph saw considerable storm damage/Photo courtesy of National Weather Service-Kansas City" />
 <figcaption>The home located on Antelope Circle in St. Joseph saw considerable storm damage/Photo courtesy of National Weather Service-Kansas City</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE&nbsp;St. Joseph Post&nbsp;A confirmed tornado in St. Joseph caused major damage to one home; minor damage around Fredrick Avenue. &nbsp;A tornado warning was in effect around 8:30 last night for St. Joseph, lasting for about half an hour.&nbsp;City Emergency Manager Bill Lamar says the area most impacted by the storm was around the East Hills Mall, and going in a line toward Frederick and Leonard.&nbsp;"There was some damage at a couple of the churches and then on Antelope Circle, which is right off of Frederick Avenue to the north, there was a home that was heavily damaged," Lamar tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "And that's where the National Weather Service said lower F1 tornado damage occurred."&nbsp;The American Red Cross has reached out to the owners of the home and is responding to help.Lamar says though the storms appeared to stay contained to the area between Frederick and Leonard.&nbsp;"In surveying some other parts in town, we had some heavy rains, some leaves, and a few limbs down," Lamar says. "But I don't think we had any structural damage in the other parts of the city."&nbsp;Light damage occurred at Dillards at the East Hills Shopping Center as well as to some churches in the area of the storm.&nbsp;Heavy debris filled Memorial Park Cemetery.&nbsp;No one was injured.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">NWS survey team confirms an EF-1 tornado in eastern St Joseph, MO, with winds up to 90 mph and a path length of 0.3 mile. <a href="https://t.co/2fsUB185IC">pic.twitter.com/2fsUB185IC</a>&mdash; NWS Kansas City (@NWSKansasCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSKansasCity/status/1509194892215349249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 30, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Tornado hits St. Joseph, one house hit it appears

St. Joseph School Board members are making moves designed not
just to attract new teachers to the district, but to retain veterans of the
classroom.

Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations, Gabe
Edgar, says the district has too high a turnover rate.

“As far as turnover is concerned, I don’t think there’s any
real positive, because consistency in the classroom with the kids and
consistency in the operations department, the custodial department, it doesn’t
make any difference,” Edgar tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “The buildings
are going to be cleaner if that person has been there for more years, right?
And the kids are going to be more educated when they have a consistent
education that’s offered to them every single day.”

The school board has approved raising the minimum teacher
salary by $500 to $37,700. Substitute teachers will be paid $115 a day, up from
$95 a day.

The board also is looking down the road a bit, trying to consider
how best to handle a tax levy set to expire in a couple of years.

Edgar says it would be easier for the administration to plan
if the levy didn’t contain a sunset clause.

“But I understand why the sunset’s there and hopefully someday
the trust of the community will come back to where we can eliminate that sunset,”
Edgar says. “But we have to deal with it right now. It is what it is. I think
we’re looking at possibly maybe trying to bump that sunset from five years to
six years or five years to seven years.”

The 61-cent levy has an April 2024 sunset.

The St. Joseph School District operates on a $140 million
annual budget, with around $85 million devoted to salaries.

A special committee of school board members and community
residents will be meeting in the next few weeks about the issue and will
recommend a strategy for the school board.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph School Board members are making moves designed not
just to attract new teachers to the district, but to retain veterans of the
classroom.Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations, Gabe
Edgar, says the district has too high a turnover rate.“As far as turnover is concerned, I don’t think there’s any
real positive, because consistency in the classroom with the kids and
consistency in the operations department, the custodial department, it doesn’t
make any difference,” Edgar tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “The buildings
are going to be cleaner if that person has been there for more years, right?
And the kids are going to be more educated when they have a consistent
education that’s offered to them every single day.”The school board has approved raising the minimum teacher
salary by $500 to $37,700. Substitute teachers will be paid $115 a day, up from
$95 a day.The board also is looking down the road a bit, trying to consider
how best to handle a tax levy set to expire in a couple of years.Edgar says it would be easier for the administration to plan
if the levy didn’t contain a sunset clause.“But I understand why the sunset’s there and hopefully someday
the trust of the community will come back to where we can eliminate that sunset,”
Edgar says. “But we have to deal with it right now. It is what it is. I think
we’re looking at possibly maybe trying to bump that sunset from five years to
six years or five years to seven years.”The 61-cent levy has an April 2024 sunset.The St. Joseph School District operates on a $140 million
annual budget, with around $85 million devoted to salaries.A special committee of school board members and community
residents will be meeting in the next few weeks about the issue and will
recommend a strategy for the school board.

St. Joseph schools moving to keep teachers, consider levy extension

One of the authors who helped write American Sniper is coming to St. Joseph to show off one of his newer works. &nbsp;

Jim DeFelice released West Like Lightning: The Brief Legendary Ride of the Pony Express in 2018, and will be bringing it to St. Joseph on Friday and Saturday. &nbsp;

As part of his research DeFelice traveled the Pony Express route and heard from people along the way.&nbsp;

"And I would just say hey I'm here, explain what I was doing, and I'd have the run of the place," DeFelice tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "And these people were so fantastic and I absolutely could not have done this book without their help."&nbsp;

DeFelice says he was looking for a new idea based in civil war times to write about that was thrilling, but was also not the civil war. &nbsp;

"And the Pony Express came up and a lightbulb went off in my head because listen let's face it, horses, you can't go wrong," DeFelice says.&nbsp;

DeFelice says there were many legends around the Pony Express, some of them great.&nbsp;

"Whether they're true or not is another story, we can get into that at another point, but it's just so much fun that whole story," DeFelice explains. "And at its heart it's a story about man versus nature and you know, that's one of the things Americans are about."&nbsp;

DeFelice says that other events around the time around the civil war are so clouded by that moment in history.&nbsp;

"And doing this book gave me an opportunity to, well first of all to learn more about those things, I mean I have to be a little selfish here, as a writer the one thing I want to do when I'm writing a book is learn," DeFelice says. "And fortunately, the book gives me that opportunity to do that."&nbsp;

DeFelice will speak at the Pony Express Museum on Friday at noon as part of a celebration for the 100th anniversary of KFEQ radio. You can find more information about the event and buy tickets <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lunch-with-jim-defelice-speaking-on-west-like-lightning-tickets-272228190847?fbclid=IwAR12y3W8m6qQdKiV4TyhqTJ-_ee_UpL4uLtiyRvhs50zY_U_zyWwcspsTgI">HERE</a>.&nbsp;

He will also speak at the Rolling Hills Library on Friday at 6:30 pm, and then will be back at the museum on Saturday at 10 am for a book signing.&nbsp;

By MATT PIKE&nbsp;St. Joseph Post&nbsp;One of the authors who helped write American Sniper is coming to St. Joseph to show off one of his newer works. &nbsp;Jim DeFelice released West Like Lightning: The Brief Legendary Ride of the Pony Express in 2018, and will be bringing it to St. Joseph on Friday and Saturday. &nbsp;As part of his research DeFelice traveled the Pony Express route and heard from people along the way.&nbsp;"And I would just say hey I'm here, explain what I was doing, and I'd have the run of the place," DeFelice tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "And these people were so fantastic and I absolutely could not have done this book without their help."&nbsp;DeFelice says he was looking for a new idea based in civil war times to write about that was thrilling, but was also not the civil war. &nbsp;"And the Pony Express came up and a lightbulb went off in my head because listen let's face it, horses, you can't go wrong," DeFelice says.&nbsp;DeFelice says there were many legends around the Pony Express, some of them great.&nbsp;"Whether they're true or not is another story, we can get into that at another point, but it's just so much fun that whole story," DeFelice explains. "And at its heart it's a story about man versus nature and you know, that's one of the things Americans are about."&nbsp;DeFelice says that other events around the time around the civil war are so clouded by that moment in history.&nbsp;"And doing this book gave me an opportunity to, well first of all to learn more about those things, I mean I have to be a little selfish here, as a writer the one thing I want to do when I'm writing a book is learn," DeFelice says. "And fortunately, the book gives me that opportunity to do that."&nbsp;DeFelice will speak at the Pony Express Museum on Friday at noon as part of a celebration for the 100th anniversary of KFEQ radio. You can find more information about the event and buy tickets <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lunch-with-jim-defelice-speaking-on-west-like-lightning-tickets-272228190847?fbclid=IwAR12y3W8m6qQdKiV4TyhqTJ-_ee_UpL4uLtiyRvhs50zY_U_zyWwcspsTgI">HERE</a>.&nbsp;He will also speak at the Rolling Hills Library on Friday at 6:30 pm, and then will be back at the museum on Saturday at 10 am for a book signing.&nbsp;

'American Sniper' co-author comes to St. Joseph to talk about new book

St. Joseph School Board members will not talk about whether a
search will soon be underway for a new superintendent.

News reports have surfaced in Minnesota that Doug Van Zyl has
been chosen as the new superintendent for the Lakeville Area School District.

School Board Vice President Bryan Green says school members
are limited in what they can say.

“At this time, our hands are still tied in terms of how much
we can talk about that, but we look forward to updating the public as soon as
we can,” Green tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline.

Van Zyl is a native of Minnesota. He has been with the St.
Joseph School District since 2018. Van Zyl has also led public school districts
in Fort Dodge, Iowa and Harrisonville, Missouri.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph School Board members will not talk about whether a
search will soon be underway for a new superintendent.News reports have surfaced in Minnesota that Doug Van Zyl has
been chosen as the new superintendent for the Lakeville Area School District.School Board Vice President Bryan Green says school members
are limited in what they can say.“At this time, our hands are still tied in terms of how much
we can talk about that, but we look forward to updating the public as soon as
we can,” Green tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline.Van Zyl is a native of Minnesota. He has been with the St.
Joseph School District since 2018. Van Zyl has also led public school districts
in Fort Dodge, Iowa and Harrisonville, Missouri.

St. Joseph School Board members quiet about superintendent status

&nbsp;Nominations for the second annual St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame induction class have been coming in steadily since the first class was enshrined last September.

Now, the St. Joseph Sports Commission is encouraging everyone to get their submissions in for this year's class by Thursday, March 31.

Brett Esely, director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission for the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau, says nominations will be taken all year round, even if submitted after the 31st.

He says there's about 50 combined individuals and teams who have already been nominated and are in the database.

"That submission window is open 365 days a year," Esely said. "So, if you submitted somebody in the middle of the summertime, that nomination would go right into our database and that person would be eligible for next year."

Anyone is eligible to nominate an individual or team, and those nominations are active for five years. A nomination form can be filled out <a href="https://stjomo.com/stjosephsportscommission/">online here</a>.

People can also pick up a nomination packet from the St. Joseph CVB's main office at 911 Frederick Avenue during regular business hours.

Nominees must either be born in Buchanan County, accomplish their sports feat in the county or be contributing to sports in the county at the present time.

Esely says starting the Hall of Fame induction process last year drew a lot of attention to sports achievements in the area that may have been forgotten about, or just not as well known.

"We wanted people to not only take note about our inaugural class," Esely pointed out, "but we were hoping people would say, 'Well, golly. I know an individual that's worthy of nomination, or I know a team.' In some cases, those inductions were folks or accomplishments that we knew about. But, in some cases they were folks or accomplishments that we didn't know about, and that's why it's so crucial."&nbsp;

Nominees will be considered but not limited to athletes, teams, coaches, administrators, officials and referees, media members, sports medicine, trainers, support staff and beyond.

The second Hall of Fame Class will consist of up to ten individuals and one team. The enshrinement ceremony is set for September at the Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center in St. Joseph.

Esely says the exact date is to be determined, but it'll be on a Sunday and it will depend on the Chiefs schedule, which will be announced along with the rest of the NFL schedule in either late April or early May.

"What Friday or Saturday evening at any time of year, let alone in the fall," Esely asked, "are you going to find a date that the schedule works for almost everyone involved? So, we found that Sunday worked very well last year."

Esely, who was integral in starting the St. Joseph Sports Hall of Fame in November 2020, says having this Hall of Fame and annual enshrinement ceremony are critical for preserving the history of sports achievements in the city and county.

"Our sports history in St. Joseph and Buchanan County stretches 150-200 years," Esely said. "There's a lot of that history that's obvious, but realistically, there's a lot more of that history that's not obvious."

The 2022 St. Joseph Sports Hall of Fame Class will be announced in early-mid June.

Last year's inaugural St. Joseph Sports Hall of Fame class included Lafayette graduate and legendary Kansas State football coach Bill Snyder, Benton graduate, Nebraska football legend and former Carolina Panther Mike Rucker, MLB veteran and Central alum Byron Browne, two-time Olympic team weightlifter and Benton alum Wes Barnett, and more.

<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/174bd76a-6fa7-450f-aad6-afe6633e91d2">The full 2021 class can be seen here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648580960759.jpeg" alt="Brett Esely, director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission, announces the first ever St. Joseph Sports Hall of Fame Class in June 2021. Stock photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Brett Esely, director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission, announces the first ever St. Joseph Sports Hall of Fame Class in June 2021. Stock photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph Post&nbsp;Nominations for the second annual St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame induction class have been coming in steadily since the first class was enshrined last September.Now, the St. Joseph Sports Commission is encouraging everyone to get their submissions in for this year's class by Thursday, March 31.Brett Esely, director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission for the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau, says nominations will be taken all year round, even if submitted after the 31st.He says there's about 50 combined individuals and teams who have already been nominated and are in the database."That submission window is open 365 days a year," Esely said. "So, if you submitted somebody in the middle of the summertime, that nomination would go right into our database and that person would be eligible for next year."Anyone is eligible to nominate an individual or team, and those nominations are active for five years. A nomination form can be filled out <a href="https://stjomo.com/stjosephsportscommission/">online here</a>.People can also pick up a nomination packet from the St. Joseph CVB's main office at 911 Frederick Avenue during regular business hours.Nominees must either be born in Buchanan County, accomplish their sports feat in the county or be contributing to sports in the county at the present time.Esely says starting the Hall of Fame induction process last year drew a lot of attention to sports achievements in the area that may have been forgotten about, or just not as well known."We wanted people to not only take note about our inaugural class," Esely pointed out, "but we were hoping people would say, 'Well, golly. I know an individual that's worthy of nomination, or I know a team.' In some cases, those inductions were folks or accomplishments that we knew about. But, in some cases they were folks or accomplishments that we didn't know about, and that's why it's so crucial."&nbsp;Nominees will be considered but not limited to athletes, teams, coaches, administrators, officials and referees, media members, sports medicine, trainers, support staff and beyond.The second Hall of Fame Class will consist of up to ten individuals and one team. The enshrinement ceremony is set for September at the Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center in St. Joseph.Esely says the exact date is to be determined, but it'll be on a Sunday and it will depend on the Chiefs schedule, which will be announced along with the rest of the NFL schedule in either late April or early May."What Friday or Saturday evening at any time of year, let alone in the fall," Esely asked, "are you going to find a date that the schedule works for almost everyone involved? So, we found that Sunday worked very well last year."Esely, who was integral in starting the St. Joseph Sports Hall of Fame in November 2020, says having this Hall of Fame and annual enshrinement ceremony are critical for preserving the history of sports achievements in the city and county."Our sports history in St. Joseph and Buchanan County stretches 150-200 years," Esely said. "There's a lot of that history that's obvious, but realistically, there's a lot more of that history that's not obvious."The 2022 St. Joseph Sports Hall of Fame Class will be announced in early-mid June.Last year's inaugural St. Joseph Sports Hall of Fame class included Lafayette graduate and legendary Kansas State football coach Bill Snyder, Benton graduate, Nebraska football legend and former Carolina Panther Mike Rucker, MLB veteran and Central alum Byron Browne, two-time Olympic team weightlifter and Benton alum Wes Barnett, and more.<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/174bd76a-6fa7-450f-aad6-afe6633e91d2">The full 2021 class can be seen here.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648582771433.jpeg" alt="The Meierhoffer/St. Joseph Casino Fastpitch Softball Team from 1997-2003 was inducted into the inaugural St. Joseph Sports Hall of Fame Class last September. " />
 <figcaption>The Meierhoffer/St. Joseph Casino Fastpitch Softball Team from 1997-2003 was inducted into the inaugural St. Joseph Sports Hall of Fame Class last September. </figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Nominations for 2022 St. Joseph Sports Hall of Fame Class due Thursday

Just two short years ago the world shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, and now things are finally starting to feel somewhat normal again Mosaic Life Care officials say.&nbsp;

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Edward Kammerer says there are many areas at the hospital that have changed through the two years of the pandemic. &nbsp;

"We understand a lot of infectious disease and containment, we understand that a lot better than we ever did," Kammerer tells reporters. "And so, some of these things about exposure to viruses, and how we take care of our own workers, and all that stuff has really changed with a lot of the regulations, and OSHAs, and masks, so there's all sorts of facets to this we've learned."&nbsp;

Kammerer says the coronavirus pandemic upset the normal, seasonal flow of medical care. &nbsp;

"I always equated it to a tax accountant, a tax accountant knows April 14th is coming, right, they know the train is coming, I always knew flu season was coming, and so I prepared for it, I was ready for it, I knew I was going to work hard all winter, and I knew it would get easier eventually," Kammerer says. "COVID on the other hand is an uncertain oscillation, so the next thing you know we have an outbreak in summer of last year, right."&nbsp;

Kammerer says Mosaic is grateful for all the workers who stood and stayed with them through the ups and downs of the pandemic.&nbsp;

Kammerer says it feels great to see the hospital getting back to regular operations and having a sense of normalcy. &nbsp;

He says now the question is how long will this last?&nbsp;

"Do we have another large blip of COVID, the next variant you know, will this happen to us again and that's the uncertainty this brings," Kammerer explains. "But it's great to be back to kind of what we call normal, again we've talked about this before, we're looking at this now as an endemic not a pandemic, this is something we live with."&nbsp;

Kammerer says Mosaic has to learn how to incorporate COVID as part of its everyday care, saying it's another disease staff has to deal with.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648499828476.jpeg" alt="Chief Medical Officer tells reporters the state of where Mosaic Life Care is two years after the world shut down due to COVID-19/Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Chief Medical Officer tells reporters the state of where Mosaic Life Care is two years after the world shut down due to COVID-19/Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE&nbsp;St. Joseph Post&nbsp;Just two short years ago the world shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, and now things are finally starting to feel somewhat normal again Mosaic Life Care officials say.&nbsp;Chief Medical Officer Dr. Edward Kammerer says there are many areas at the hospital that have changed through the two years of the pandemic. &nbsp;"We understand a lot of infectious disease and containment, we understand that a lot better than we ever did," Kammerer tells reporters. "And so, some of these things about exposure to viruses, and how we take care of our own workers, and all that stuff has really changed with a lot of the regulations, and OSHAs, and masks, so there's all sorts of facets to this we've learned."&nbsp;Kammerer says the coronavirus pandemic upset the normal, seasonal flow of medical care. &nbsp;"I always equated it to a tax accountant, a tax accountant knows April 14th is coming, right, they know the train is coming, I always knew flu season was coming, and so I prepared for it, I was ready for it, I knew I was going to work hard all winter, and I knew it would get easier eventually," Kammerer says. "COVID on the other hand is an uncertain oscillation, so the next thing you know we have an outbreak in summer of last year, right."&nbsp;Kammerer says Mosaic is grateful for all the workers who stood and stayed with them through the ups and downs of the pandemic.&nbsp;Kammerer says it feels great to see the hospital getting back to regular operations and having a sense of normalcy. &nbsp;He says now the question is how long will this last?&nbsp;"Do we have another large blip of COVID, the next variant you know, will this happen to us again and that's the uncertainty this brings," Kammerer explains. "But it's great to be back to kind of what we call normal, again we've talked about this before, we're looking at this now as an endemic not a pandemic, this is something we live with."&nbsp;Kammerer says Mosaic has to learn how to incorporate COVID as part of its everyday care, saying it's another disease staff has to deal with.&nbsp;

Two years after the world shut down, Mosaic starting to feel some normalcy

St. Joseph police have a suspect in mind after at least two
shots were fired into an occupied house in the 700 block of Concord Avenue.

Police report a call came in shortly after nine o’clock last night. The caller heard at least two shots fired. One shot hit the house.
A second shot went through a window and hit the TV. None of the occupants were
struck.

Police say the shots came after the suspect argued with the
homeowner. The two knew each other. The gunshots came from a car that fled the
scene. Officers recovered two shell casings at the scene.

No arrests have been made. The investigation continues.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph police have a suspect in mind after at least two
shots were fired into an occupied house in the 700 block of Concord Avenue.Police report a call came in shortly after nine o’clock last night. The caller heard at least two shots fired. One shot hit the house.
A second shot went through a window and hit the TV. None of the occupants were
struck.Police say the shots came after the suspect argued with the
homeowner. The two knew each other. The gunshots came from a car that fled the
scene. Officers recovered two shell casings at the scene.No arrests have been made. The investigation continues.

Shots fired into St. Joseph house; no one struck

St.
Joseph health officials say new cases of coronavirus continue to fall in
Buchanan County.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt.
Joseph health officials say new cases of coronavirus continue to fall in
Buchanan County.The
St. Joseph Health Department reports only 16 new COVID-19 cases since last
reporting on Thursday, with two cases on Friday, 14 total from Saturday through
Monday.The
positivity rate in Buchanan County has dropped nearly two percent to only
2.34%.Andrew
County reports only two active cases and only one case in the last seven days.Mosaic
Life Care reports on its website COVID-19 hospitalizations are minimal. Mosaic
does not report numbers when they drop below ten.

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